Live Around Town This Week

The journeying songs of Scottish atmospheric rockers Mogwai aren’t typically radio friendly. Their music is best when set to something, whether it be a movie or a long nighttime drive down the coast. It’s not surprising then, that they’ve scored multiple films, and that they’re the subject of directors Vincent Moon and Nathanael Le Scouarnec’s concert documentary Burning, which artistically depicts the mind-blowing experience of Mogwai live. (8 pm, $6-9)

Tuesday, August 24th

YUNI IN TAXCO with Sadie & The Crooked Road and Hale Mary @ The Tractor Tavern

Yuni in Taxco formed not even a year ago, but have already generated plenty of buzz around town with their laid-back, wind-chimed beach rhythms. Several of their songs feature gentle, harmonizing vocals that bring to mind some kind of neo-indie version of the Beach Boys, and on songs like “King of Borneo” some of their Afro-Caribbean influences are flushed to the surface. Whichever resemblances or influences Yuni in Taxco bring to mind, all their songs bespeak lackadaisical, shore-side reverie, and you can practically hear palm trees rustling overhead as they play. Also on the bill are Sadie & The Crooked Road, who are fronted by the soulful singing Sadie Ava and are a little more rock-ier than Yuni in Taxco. They should be a more-than-suitable opener though, as the show will be doubling as their EP release party. (9 pm, $6, 21+)

Wednesday, August 25th

Nathan Williams of Wavves - photo by Christopher Nelson

WAVVES with The Pharmacy and Broken Nobles @ Neumos

Wavves, the washed-out indie surf band fronted by San Diego-native Nathan Williams, are known for their volatile live shows. After the second Wavves album, entitled Wavvves, was released in 2009, Williams and company embarked on a notoriously disastrous tour in which Williams frequently got into it with the crowd, canceled shows, or just left the stage mid-set. Part of this might have been due to Williams’ inexperience playing live, and part of it can probably be attributed to some ill-advised drug cocktails. This time around the band should have a little more wherewithal, however, as Williams has been touring for a while now, and the band will be promoting their recently released and highly acclaimed third album King of the Beach, which is only more polished in that it was not recorded on Williams’ computer. This doesn’t mean that anything couldn’t happen on stage though. (8 pm, $12 adv, 21+)

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT with Martha Wainwright @ The Paramount

On his most recent release, All Days Are Nights: Songs For Lulu, Rufus Wainwright completely bears his soul with a collection of songs dealing with melancholia and sadness in which Wainwright’s deeply emotional lyrics are the centerpiece. Most of the album was probably recorded when his mother Kate McGarrigle, who raised Wainwright by herself, was deathly ill (she died this year). Adding even more familial gravity to the performance is the fact that Rufus’ sister Martha will be playing as well. This should be an emotional and artful show that will highlight the deep relationship we share with loved ones as we experience the ups and downs of life together, and I couldn’t imagine a better venue to complement such a performance that the Paramount. (7:30 pm, $36-$46)

Thursday August 27th

ROBERT EARL KEEN with David-Jacobs Strain

Legendary Texas country rocker Robert Earl Keen will be at Neumos on Thursday. There are an endless number of bands making the rounds today that classify themselves or are classified as “country,” but Robert Earl Keen’s straight up, unadulterated Texas country is as real as it gets. Keen’s tangy story-telling and down home jams will any fans of the genre or part of the country that happen to be in Seattle on Thurday will be transported straight back to a Texas ballroom (if that is even possible in Neumos). (8 pm, $20 adv, 21+)

Friday, August 28th

KEXP Presents Concerts at the Mural

Well, it seem like they just started but Friday will be the the last installment of KEXP’s Concerts at the Mural Series. Finishing off the series at the Mural Amphitheater will be Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band, The Head and the Heart, and Yuni in Taxco. The evening will be hosted by Hannah Levin and will run from 6-8 pm with the beer garden opening at 5. For more information click here. (6-8 pm, FREE)

Saturday, Augsut 29th

GRAND HALLWAY with The Head and the Heart @ The Tractor Tavern

Grand Hallway have been making their mark around Seattle wherever they can for the past few years, and it hasn’t been hard to make an impression with their lush and emotionally rich indie pop. You need to see Grand Hallway live to truly appreciate what the band is all about. Led by the prolific Tomo Nakayama on guitar and piano, the band features and eclectic mix of influences, instruments, and personalities, usually featuring over ten members on stage. The beautiful way in which the different parts of Grand Hallway cohere is truly something to behold, and should leave you with a skip in your step as you exit into the Ballard night. Setting the tone for will be the heartfelt folk of The Head and the Heart, which has been a favorite of Seattle-ites since the band formed last year. Their rich, uplifting, and melodic pop harmonies should be a perfect introduction to Grand Hallway. (9:30, $10, 21+)

Grand Hallway at the Mural Amphitheater on August 6th:

Sunday, August 29th

VAMPIRE WEEKEND with Beach House and Dum Dum Girls @ Marymoor Park

To many, the highlight of Marymoor Park’s summer concert series will be happening this Sunday when not just Vampire Weekend, not just Vampire Weekend and Beach House, but Vampire Weekend, Beach House, and the Dum Dum Girls will be visiting Marymoor Amphitheater. Regardless of what you think of Vampire Weekend, they put on an amazing live show that is basically impossible not to enjoy. With Beach House and Dum Dum Girls opening, it will be a whole evening of indie rock bliss on what should be an amazing and sunny Sunday. (6 pm, $39.50)